Rotating guide



June 8, 1937.

W. H. BRADSHAW ET AL ROTATING GUIDE Original Filed Sept. 1, 1923 a I X BY MATTOQRNEY Patented June 8, 1937 STATES PATENT OFFICE ROTATING GUIDE poration of Delaware Original application September 1, 1928, Serial No. 303,574. Divided and this application January 10, 1930, Serial No. 419,806

28 Claims. (01. 1s s) This invention relates to the manufacture of artificial threads, filaments, horsehair and the like and is a division of copending application Serial No. 363,574, filed September 1, 1928. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus adapted to impart a stretch to a freshly coagulated thread without applying any substantial friction on the thread.

The tensile strength of finished artificial threads can be increased by stretching the thread when it'is in the freshly coagulated state. Prior to this invention, this was accomplished by causing the thread to drag around one or more stationary guides placed between the spinneret and the take-up device. This practice has many disadvantages. When the tension on the thread is increased by increasing the number of guides, by increasing the acuteness of angles around the guides, by increasing their diameters or by other means to a point where the tenacity is materially increase-d, the excessive friction of the thread on the guides breaks some of the filaments, greatly reduces the elongation, the uniformity of dyeing and the dye index of the finished artificial thread.

We have found that we can overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages by applying or developing a uniform or constant tension in a thread without subjecting it to a severe sliding friction, such as that developed when a thread is So dragged under tension around a rod or other guide, and produce a thread having a higher elongation with a given tenacity and a more uniform and deeper dyeing than a thread obtained when sliding friction is employed.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an apparatus to impose a substantial, uniform and constant tension on a freshly coagulated thread without any undue or substantial sliding friction and to produce a thread having a higher elongation with a given tenacity and a more uniform and deeper dyeing than a thread produced in a method using sliding friction.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which will impose a substantial, uniform and constant tension on freshly coagulated threads without any undue sliding friction. A specific object of this invention is to provide a rotor guide which is rotated by a moving thread passing around its periphery, the speed of rotation of said rotor being retarded or restrained whereby a tension is set up in the thread between the rotor and the take-up device and the thread is stretched.

55 Other objects will become apparent from the following description, appended claims and the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a guide adapted to be used with a take-up mechanism and constitutes one embodiment or modification for carrying out the invention. a

Figure 2 illustrates the guide positioned in a coagulating or precipitating bath.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the guide removed from its casing.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the casing or bracket with the guide removed.

Figure 5 illustrates the manner of mounting the rotating cylinder guide in the casing.

Figure 6 illustrates another manner of mounting the guide in the casing.

Figure '7 is a side elevation of a modified form of the guide.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic set-up showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

Broadly, the invention comprises placing a resistance on the thread as it goes to the take-up device which causes the thread to be stretched without any undue sliding friction. One of the means for attaining this result comprises a rotor guide adapted to be rotated by a moving freshly coagulated thread passing around its periphery. Vanes affixed to the back of the rotor act to retard the speed of rotation whereby a tension is imposed on the thread. As a consequence the freshly coagulated thread is stretched between the rotor and the take-up device, and a thread is produced having a higher elongation with a given tenacity and a more uniform and deeper dyeing as compared to a thread produced by a method employing sliding friction.

Referring now to the drawing wherein one modification for carrying out the invention is illustrated and like reference numerals designate like parts, the reference numeral l designates a frame or casing having a bracket 2 whereby it maybe mounted in the bath or on a rail 3 posi-' tioned over the bath. The casing I, though it may be made of any shape, is preferably cylindrical in shape and has an open front face and is provided on its inner periphery 4 with a plurality of vanes or flanges 5.

Formed integrally with one side of the casing I is an arm I0 having a bore II therethrough. The bore II is at an angle to the vertical axis of the arm and is adapted to carry a guide I2. Preferably, a resilient sleeve I3 is disposed in the bore whereby the guide I 2 may yield to a small degree upon the application of pressure. The guide I2, in addition to directing the freshly spun thread to and from the rotor I4, also serves to prevent chafing of the thread on itself The rotating guide comprises a cylindrical body or rotor I4 having a bore I5 therethrough whereby it is mounted on the shaft 1 and is adapted to be engaged and rotated by a thread moving around its periphery. The rear face I6 of the rotor I4 is formed with a circular outwardly extending flange I! which is adapted to loosely close and fit in the open front face of the casing I. Disposed on the rear face I6 of the rotor I4 is a plurality of vanes I8 which during operation rotate within the :casing I. The vanes may be made of divers shapes. In-

.stead of the form illustrated in the drawing,

the vanes may be curved in the direction of rotation'resultingin an increased resistance. They may also be cupped or channeled longitudinally. Though we have shown only two vanes, it is obvious that any number thereof may be used. In the rotor illustrated, its front face is provided with a circular depression I9, the depth of which is equal to the length of the extension 20 of the pin shaft. In the drawing we have illustrated the rotor as being cylindrical in shape. It is, however, to be understood that the rotor may be made of any shape. The tension on the thread may be varied within wide limits by varying alone or in combination the diameter of the thread-bearing surface of the rotor, the size, number and location of the vanes on the rotor, and the size, number and spacing of the stationary vanes in the casing.

Thecasing I and its flanges 5 serve to increase the resistance, but they may be omitted and the successful operation of the apparatus will in no way be impaired.

The casing, guide shaft and rotor may be made of any material which is resistant to the solutions and acids used in the coagulating and precipitating baths. Various materials, such as metals, alloys, glass, phenol-condensation products, hard rubber, etc., may be used. We have found that the rotor, when made of a phenolcondensation product, produces satisfactory results. The casing I and bracket 2, we prefer to make from a metal or alloy whereby, due to its weight, the guide may be mounted and submerged without any difficulty or inconvenience.

Inpractice, the rotor I I is mounted on the shaft 7, and its vanes I8 are enclosed within the casing and in cooperative relation with the flanges 5. The assembled guide may be mounted on the rail 3 or on the edge of the coagulating bath and completely or partially submerged therein, as illustrated in Figure 2. Due to the loose fit of the flange II of the rotor I4, the interior of the casing is filled with the liquid comprising the bath. The thread, after it issues from the spinning spinneret, passes behind the guide I2 and around the rotor I4, thence in front of the guide I2 and directly on to a bobbin or around a godet wheel and then in a rotating bucket. The thread, as it passes around the periphery of the rotor I4 on its way from the spinneret to the take-up device, causes the rotor I4 to rotate. The rotor I dismaintained in position on the shaft I by the shoulder 8 of the boss 6 and a collar at the end 20 of the shaft I. The vanes I8 on the rear of the rotor I 4 are thus rotated and, as they Whirl through the bath within the casing in cooperation with the flanges 5 in the casing I, retard the speed of rotation, whereby a tension is set up or developed in the thread between the guide and the next element in the path of travel of the thread.

It is apparent that the take-up device constitutes means for applying stress to. the filaments to cause them to rotate the rotor, and the vanes I8 constitute means for applying to said rotor a drag resisting such rotation independent of the stress in the filaments.

In Figure 6 a modified form of mounting the rotor is illustrated. It differs from that previously described in that the shaft 2I is of constant diameter and provided with a collar 22 on its front end. The hole 24 in the boss 23 is slightly tapered and the shaft pressfitted therein. For reasons which will become apparent the boss .23 is provided with a shoulder 25.

In Figure I a modified form of the rotor (illustrated in Figure 3) is shown. This rotor differs from that previously described in that it is provided with a boss 26 on the rear face thereof to provide a larger bearing surface. A recess 21 is formed therein to cooperate and receive the shoulder 25 above mentioned. When the construction described in Figures 6 and '7 is employed, the mode of operation is similar to that above explained.

The time of travel of the thread in the bath from the spinneret to the guide, the composition and temperature of the bath and the character of the spinning solution spun must be carefully balanced to obtain optimum results.

By means of this invention there can be produced a thread having much more uniform characteristics than has been possible to produce heretofore. When a freshly coagulated or gel thread is stretched a definite amount between two rollers having different peripheral speeds, the tension developed in the thread between these rollers varies considerably from time to time. This is not due to varying amounts of slippage but is due to the practical impossibility of maintaining the thread in exactly the same state of regeneration at a given point in its travel. In the manufacture of artificial threads of regenerated cellulose or of cellulose derivatives, it is impossible to control conditions so that the spinning solution is extruded under the same identical set of conditions at all times. For instance, in the spinning of regenerated cellulose threads from viscose, when the coagulating bath changes slightly in concentration, or when the viscose varies perhaps only a very slight amount in its degree of ripeness, the rate of coagulation and regeneration changes sufficiently to cause a considerable change in tension between the two positively driven Wheels.

In this invention the percentage of stretch between the rotor guide and the next element in the path of travel, such as, for example, the drawcif device, is not fixed as is the case when both the rotor and the draw-off device are positively driven, but, as hereinafter described, may vary depending upon the R. P. M. of the rotor. Under any given set of conditions an equilibrium exists between the R. P. M. of the thread-driven rotating device or rotor and the degree of coagulation and regeneration of the freshly formed thread, which is in turn influenced by the composition and temperature of the coagulating bath, the degree of ripeness of the viscose, etc. By virtue of the principles involved in this threaddriven rotor device, any change in the degree of coagulation and regeneration of the thread is immediately followed by a shifting to a new state of equilibrium at an R. P. M. of the rotor slightly different from the previous value. For example, when the viscose is extruded from the spinneret at a slightly greater degree of ripeness than standard, its rate of coagulation and regeneration is faster. The more completely coagulated and regenerated thread between the rotor and the take-up device offers greater resistance to stretching. A greater portion of the total stretch, therefore, takes place between the spinneret and the rotor. This additional length of thread passes over the rotor causing it toturn slightly faster with a consequent slight increase in tension on the thread between the rotor and the take-up device. This slight increase in tension is small in comparison to that which would result were the thread stretched a constant amount between two positively driven rotors. If the rotor did not function as described, the R. P. M. of the rotor would not increase slightly as we find it does under the conditions cited. Thus, the thread is always subjected to a more uniform tension than can be maintained in practice using positively driven thread devices because the guide becomes a compensator for the variables in the spinning cycle which alter the degree of regeneration in any point in said spinning cycle.

The stretch imparted to the freshly coagulated thread also depends inter alia on the resistance offered to the rotating vanes. This resistance is a function of the size and number of the vanes, their position relative tothe flanges 5 in the casing I and the circumference of the latter, and the specific gravity of the bath.

When the method of tension spinning above described is used in the bucket process, as the tension increases, the tendency of the resulting yarn to shrink in the bucket or to recover also increases and a point may be reached where poor cake formation develops and the process becomes impractical. By the use of high speed buckets or buckets having large diameters, the centrifugal force may be made great enough to resist the tendency of the yarn to shrink and the above defect will be overcome. We, therefore, utilize high speed buckets or buckets having large diameters, whereby the cake formation is controlled. The high centrifugal force obtained by high speed buckets or large diameter buckets not only prevents the formation of a soft cake but applies a greater tension to the thread on the bucket side of the take-up wheel, whereby the feed wheel slippage is prevented.

Instead of mounting the rotor in the bath and having the coagulating bath offer the resistance, various other solutions may be used for this purpose. For instance, the vanes may be caused to rotate in a bath of oil retained in the casing. If desired, the vanes may be omitted and a resistance imparted to the rotor by any suitable means.

The rotor guide, as illustrated, is supported submerged in the bath. It, however, may be disposed at any point between the spinneret and the take-up device. The guide also may be used in series as, for example, the thread may pass from the spinneret to a rotor guide submerged in the bath, then to another located nearer the take-up device thereby stretching the thread in stages. Also, the rotor guide may be used in combination with other guides.

Since it is obvious that various mechanisms may be employed in the above-described method, this invention is not limited to the device above described, except as defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, means cooperating with said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread.

2. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the. thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-01f device, vanes on said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread.

3. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-oft device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath betweensaid spinneret and draw-off device, vanes on the rear face of said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread.

4. An apparatus for producing artificial filamentsand threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to Withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device; rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, means cooperating with said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing.

5. An apparatus for producing artificial fila ments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, vanes on said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensatefor changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tensionwithout any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing.

6. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, vanes on the rear face of said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing.

7. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bat between said spinneret and draw-off device, vanes. on said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing having flanges cooperating with said vanes.

8. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, vanes on the rear face of said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle,

whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing having flanges cooperating with said vanes.

9. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, vanes on said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing open in front, and means to cover the open face of said casing.

10. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, vanes on the rear face of said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing open in front, and means to cover the open face of said casing.

11. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, vanes on said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing having flanges cooperating with said vanes, and means to cover the open face of said casing.

12. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, vanes on the rear face of said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing having flanges cooperating with said vanes, and means to cover the open face of said casing.

13. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, means to prevent rubbing of the thread on itself as it passes on to and from said rotor, means cooperating with said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread.

14. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, means to prevent rubbing of the thread on itself as it-passes on to and from said rotor, vanes on said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread.

15. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, means to prevent rubbing of the thread on itself as it passes on to and from said rotor, vanes on the rear face of said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread.

16. An apparatus for producing artfioial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-01f device, means to prevent rubbing of the thread on itself as it passes on to and from said rotor, means cooperating with said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing.

17. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-olf device, means to prevent rubbing of the thread on itself as it passes on to and from said rotor, vanes on said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing.

18. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearoun-dand disposed in the spinning bath 75 between said spinneret and draw-off device,

means to prevent rubbing of the thread on itself as it passes on to and from said rotor, vanes on the rear face of said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing.

19. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, means to prevent rubbing of the thread on itself as it passes on to and from said rotor, vanes on said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing having flanges cooperating with said vanes.

20. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and drawoff device, means to prevent rubbing of the thread on itself as it passes on to and from said rotor, vanes on the rear face of said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing having flanges cooperating with said vanes.

21. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, means to prevent rubbing of the thread on itself as it passes on to and from said rotor, vanes on said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing open in front, and means to cover the open face of said casing.

22. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-01f device,

means to prevent rubbing of the thread on itself as it passes on to and from said rotor, vanes on the rear face of said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing open in front, and means to cover the open face of said casing.

23. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-off device, means to prevent rubbing of the thread on itself as it passes on to and from said rotor, vanes on said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing having flanges cooperating with said vanes, and means to cover the open face of said casing.

24. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed in the spinning bath between said spinneret and draw-01f device, means to prevent rubbing of the thread on itself as it passes on to and from said rotor, vanes on the rear face of said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread, said rotor being freely mounted on a shaft mounted in a casing having flanges cooperating with said vanes, and means to cover the open face of said casing.

25. An apparatus for producing artificial filaments and threads which comprises a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded in a spinning bath, a draw-off device to withdraw the freshly produced thread from the spinning bath, a rotor device rotated by the thread passing therearound and disposed between said spinneret and draw-01f device, means cooperating with said rotor to retard the rotation thereof and automatically change the speed of rotation thereof to compensate for changes in the variables of the spinning cycle, whereby a substantially uniform and constant tension without any substantial sliding friction is applied to the thread.

26. Apparatus for the treatment of artificial filaments comprising a roller round which the filaments are caused to pass, means for applying stress to the filaments to cause them to rotate the roller and a speed operated governing device for applying to said roller a drag resisting such rotation and substantially independent of the stress that is being applied to the filaments but depending upon the rate of rotation of the roller whereby the filaments are permanently extended.

27. Apparatus for producing artificial threads and filaments comprising a spinneret through which a spinning solution is extruded to form filaments, a positively driven roller to draw said filaments from the spinneret, a thread-driven roller disposed between the spinneret and the positively driven roller and rotated by the filaments passing therearound, means cooperating with the thread-driven roller to retard the rotation thereof, whereby a tension of sufficient magnitude is imposed on the thread to permanently stretch the thread and thereby improve the physical properties thereof.

28. Apparatus for the treatment of artificial filaments comprising a roller around which the filaments are caused to pass, means for applying stress to the filaments to cause them to rotate the roller, and means for applying to said roller a drag resisting such rotation and independent of the stress in the filaments, whereby a tension of sufiicient magnitude is imposed on the thread to permanently stretch the thread and thereby improve the physical properties thereof.

WILLIAM HENRY BRADSHAW. GEORGE PRESTON HOFF. 

